Within the Business of Names
by AkaruiTenshi
Summary: Wizard said he couldn't tell anyone his name because names hold great powers. What if a name holds more power than he knows. The most unlikely creature teaches him. Rated T for safety. Wizard/Molly
1. Mushroom Glade

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**Disclaimer: I don't own...Sadly! T.T**

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><p><strong>Within the Business of Names<strong>

**Chapter 1: Mushroom Glade**

He had never been to this part of the Fugue Forest. The trees were taller, older. No path lined his way, nothing but dry leaves and grass that crunched under his boots. It held a sense of magic even older than he, perhaps by millennia.

A sparkle in the shade of a particularly ancient oak caught his eye. Brushing the leaves and debris out of the way, he found a Fugue Mushroom. But this one was enormous, its fleshy top as large as a dinner plate. Strange.

It was then that he noticed he'd stumbled upon a dark glade bursting with those magical mushrooms he often fought Vivi for. They were all different sizes and colors – he could of sworn he saw a bright pink one with green spots -, each with its particular sparkle and magical sense.

However, he knew not to abuse of this natural bounty; the fungi were rare enough as is. So he scooped up a reasonable amount of decent sized mushrooms – ten, maybe twelve -, and made to leave.

The glen suddenly lit up, and he prepared a defensive spell as a precaution. But the light didn't harm him. Instead, it created a glowing path that led into the deeper part of the woods. The trees ebbed him on, whispering with their rustling leaves for him to follow the path. He felt some branches push him forwards, too. So, with a deep sigh, he walked into the unknown.

His legs were starting to ache when he reached the end of the pathway. He must have been walking for an hour, maybe two. And for what? Certainly not to find an abandoned house at the top of a hill in a deserted clearing, he hoped. But, to his uttermost frustration, that seemed to be the situation. Miffed, he turned to leave, but the trees blocked his passage. He tried to force them to move, but his magic was either ignored or was ineffective altogether.

Left without a choice, he ambled up to the house. It was so deep in decay; he was surprised it hadn't toppled over yet. The walls were overrun with many types of vines. The windows barely had any glass left. There were holes in the roof. The door barely hung from its hinges and when he pushed it open, it fell apart.

The interior of the home was worse than the exterior. There was no floor. The furniture was broken and strewn all over the place. Mice and other pests ran across the dirt. The only sturdy looking thing was a staircase in the center of the room. For a moment, he thought he saw someone sitting on the stairs, but he never sensed it. Discarding it, he cautiously wandered through the rest of the house.

After stumbling through the living room and tip-toeing past the music room, he arrived at the kitchen-dining room. The table and chairs were covered with ratty sheets, a broken chandelier dangling over them. From what he could see of the kitchen, the sink was flooded and rusty cutlery floated there.

He didn't know what to think, only wonder why he had been brought here. There was nothing of interest in this house, albeit a few priceless antiques even he hadn't seen before. Then, he felt it, and a chill ran up his spine.

A hand was on his shoulder, colder than ice. Colder than death, even. Someone was boring holes into the back of his head. A chilly wind was gently flowing through the house.

"Who are you?"

He turned and nearly cried out, Fugue Mushrooms tumbling onto the ground and rolling away.

One thought – and only one –, ran through his mind,_ 'Ghost!'_

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><p><strong>Short, I know. But it's the introduction! x3 Review please!<strong>


	2. Fenced In

**Here's number two! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Fenced In<strong>

His body had gone rigid in shock, and a hint of fright. Even for the magically oriented side of society, ghosts were part of tall tales and legends. Yet there was a phantom standing – well, _floating_ –, before him in all her transparent glory.

Her face bore childlike features and wide, red ochre eyes that stared curiously at him. She wore a salmon dress with flower prints that stopped at her knees. She –

"Are you done?" she asked.

Flustered, he nodded. Her head tilted to the side.

"Who are you?" she inquired again.

"Wizard…" he answered.

Her lips pursed as she said, "That's a strange name."

Wizard shrugged, mind still reeling. Of all his time alive – he'd already forgotten how long –, he'd never once thought he'd encounter such an oddity. Enchanted objects, yes. A forest that could speak, naturally. The ghost of a young woman stranded in an abandoned house smack in the middle of the forest, not even in his wildest dreams.

A hand waving in front of his face drew him out of his musings.

"Hm?"

She huffed, "I asked you what you're doing here."

"The trees…They forced me…to come here."

The she-ghost began laughing and clutching her stomach. He arched a brow as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"S-sorry," she giggled. "I've never heard that one before."

So she'd been visited before. Shaking his head, Wizard decided not to ask. Instead, he walked out the kitchen-dining room, intent on going home and nursing a large mug of strong coffee. He came to a stop when she passed right though him, freezing him to the core.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

He was surprised at his own bluntness. She reeled backwards a bit, before pouting and resting her hands on her hips.

"How come? You just got here!"

"I…need no reason…why…"

"Well, aren't you a cold one," she mumbled.

Wizard side stepped her, not wanting to burn his soul with her deadly cold touch. He didn't escape the sensation, for she sailed through him again.

"You aren't going anywhere," she said.

"Oh…really?"

She nodded confidently and Wizard suppressed his laughter. How did she intend do so? He voiced his question.

"You can't leave," she replied. "Not until you find something for me."

Wizard blinked. That wasn't solid enough for him, but it did spark his curiosity. What would be so well hidden that even a _ghost_ can't find it?

"Alright… I'll bite," he said. "What would I…need to find…so I can…leave?"

She stared at him intently, as if studying him. Suddenly she floated up to his face.

"I need you to find my name!"

A name? Is her lingering will so ancient, she can't remember it? What kind of mess had he gotten himself into? His surprise must've shown on his face, because she scratched at a suddenly red dusted cheek.

"I've never been able to remember it," she muttered, "but I have a feeling that it's very important."

Names were important, and very powerful. Especially for a magical creature. However, he couldn't deny this request now, his magic and honor had bound them unintentionally. Honestly, the Wizard thought, it was like his magic was rebellious again.

"Very well," he agreed.

He could've gone without the ice cold embrace the she-ghost gave him. Shivering, he glared lightly at her.

"Sorry."

Shaking his head, Wizard peered out the broken window. Sunset. He'd been out here for hours and his energy began running low as exhaustion crept up on him. Something told him this would become a frequent scenario.

Perfect.

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><p><strong>Did you like this? Is it too short? Tell me what you think please! 3 Review!<strong>


	3. The Fear of A Name

**Third one today! I'm on a roll! x3**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: The Fear of A Name<strong>

"Hey, Wizard?"

"…Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

Wizard sighed and dusted off his hands.

"Making…a bed…"

"Oh."

He'd become tired of sleeping on the ratty couch of the living room, and the she-ghost didn't have any other resting place to offer. She didn't need to sleep, after all. What use would she have for a bed? Or chairs? Or any type of furniture for that matter? Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he concentrated on his current task: hammering some rusty nails into the frame.

"Can I help?"

She was full of questions today, as usual.

"Don't…worry about it."

He'd been here for at least three days. Three very long days with no progress as to finding her name. He'd scoured the entire house, through spider webs and dust-infested hallways, but found nothing. Not even the corner of a photo that would evidence the existence of the girl. Yes, girl. He did not consider her a young woman yet, she had not proved the maturity for it.

"Hey Wizard?"

He slammed the hammer down one last time on the nail and turned to the phantom. She was perched on a shelf, studying him with those ochre red eyes of hers. Her feet swung back and forth.

"C-could you give me a nickname?" she stuttered.

A nickname? It would be useful, he supposed; at least he wouldn't have to call her she-ghost or girl anymore. However, Wizard feared that his guess might be her real name. Who knows what may happen then.

"That…might not be…such a good idea."

"Why?"

"If I guess your…true name," Wizard said, "…something bad…may happen…"

"Then how would you tell me my real name?"

He shrugged and said, "I'd write it."

She looked baffled. Wizard ignored her and continued his work. It was a simple solution that wouldn't bring him – or her –, much trouble. Paper or wood could be burned, and a stone pulverized. The remnants would then be scattered to the winds and all would be well. He'd never have to say her name and have any magical bindings imposed on him. He'd already had enough with his current problem.

It was late afternoon when he finished his bed. It wasn't top of the line, but it would suffice and would most definitely be more comfortable than the floor. He'd pushed it to the corner of the room in which the roof was in the best conditions possible. Hopefully, no leaks would seep through. He'd also borrowed some of the ratty sheets and pillows from the downstairs furniture after ridding them of dust.

He trudged downstairs, stomach grumbling for sustenance and began rummaging through the kitchen cupboards for something edible. He'd forbidden himself from using magic in the she-ghost's house as a precaution. In children's tales, ghosts would become violent in the presence of spells; but in more adult versions of the stories, you'd either be possessed or cursed. Wizard didn't know if either of these theories were true – the Master had never touched the subject of poltergeists and he'd never gotten interested in them either –, but he felt it was better safe than sorry.

Speaking of ghosts, Wizard thought, where's the she-ghost? She'd disappeared sometime along midday and hadn't returned. A tiny hint of worry snuck into the back of his mind, but he snuffed it out and continued his search for food. Come to think of it, he'd been hungry from midday. Yet his stomach had only just begun to beg for its fill. How odd.

His search turned fruitless – pun intended –, so he left the house in its entirety and wandered to the edge of the forest. Maybe he'd find some ripe fruits or berries he could eat. However, the trees were bare and the bushes stripped of their summer bounty. There was a nearby stream, so if he could fix that broken fishing pole in the shed, he'd be able to eat. So he turned back to the abandoned house – or should he say haunted house? –, and opened the worn down shed. Snatching the fishing pole, he found it was an easy fix. Just a little rope here and…

What was that sound?

Wizard had been so immersed in his search for sustenance that he hadn't noticed the sudden silence in the clearing. He'd taken notice, however, when that strange noise echoed in his ears. It was too low to identify, so he strained his hearing to its limit. If he could catch even the tail end of the sound–

CRAAACK!

CRASH!

"AAAAHH!"

He definitely heard it now.

Dropping the fishing pole, he ran past the house and stretched his senses to the maximum. He saw another tree fall and picked up the pace. That small hint of worry had taken over a corner of his mind and pumped freely through his veins. He knew that scream.

The trees barricaded his way. Their thick branches wouldn't budge no matter how much strength he poured into his pushes and pulls.

"Get out of my way!" he snapped.

Surprisingly – either by his anger or the fact that his hands had momentarily sparked with fire –, they moved. He bolted past them and he could hear the commotion getting closer. Freeing himself of a few snags with unruly braches, he stumbled into a freshly cleared area. Ancient tries lay strewn on the ground, ripped from the roots. He could hear their brethren crying in grief. And in the middle of the wreckage was a large, dark figure. It had a single, golden eye that had fixed itself on him. It launched a trunk at him with relative ease, so he had to leap away. When he landed, a familiar chill engulfed him.

"W-wizard!" the she-ghost sobbed.

He'd half fallen through her. She was curled up between the gnarly roots of a gum tree, wide eyes glazed over with tears. Shakily, she pointed behind him and screamed. The pitch grated at his eardrums, but he suppressed a flinch and dodged the giant claw that attempted to skewer him. Knowing that climbing the tree wouldn't help; he climbed up its arm instead. He was now face to face with those blazing, golden eyes. To his utmost surprise, they were blank and the pupils were nearly invisible.

The creature roared and flung him away. He slammed against one of the fallen oaks, stars erupting before his eyes. He barely heard the she-ghost scream and he rolled out of the way of another attack. Struggling onto his feet he stumbled around dangerously close strikes until the massive claws dug into a trunk and remained trapped there.

Wizard took this opportunity and scrambled up its arm again, leveling his gaze with the beast's. He decided to forgo his precautions, whatever the effect it may have on the she-ghost. The forest's grief was too overwhelming.

"Libero," he murmured as he slammed his hand atop the creature's head.

Time seemed to stop. Those monstrous golden eyes cleared and the pupils dilated. He felt the shoulder he stood shrink until he was forced to jump off. The claws retracted and the beast became tame, for before him stood a very dazed bear.

It shook its head, snorting and running its paws over its muzzle. Wizard cautiously skirted around it and towards the frozen phantom. Once relatively safe, he slumped down next to her, expecting the worst. The earlier blow had sucked up quite a bit of energy to heal him and his last spell had left him drained. It was time to prove if those theories were correct or not.

"W-wizard?"

"…Yes?"

Cold seeped into him as she hugged him as best as her ghostly body allowed her. Tears seeped through his clothes and skin, dropping into the earth and beyond. Strange, the cold almost seemed warm.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I just tried to help!"

"Hmm?"

"I noticed you were hungry," she sniffed. "So I asked Takumashii to help me find food, but…"

"Takumashii?"

"That'd be me," a voice rumbled.

The bear had turned and was watching them. Why doesn't that surprise me, Wizard thought.

"The little lady here and I," Takumashii continued, "were nearly through when this…I don't know what took over me."

"And then he went ballistic," she-ghost ended.

Wizard mulled over this for a while. Only another wizard or a sorcerer – do _not_ confuse these two, they are _very_ different –, could have cast a strong enough spell that Takumashii couldn't fight it off. _Insania_, _Dementia_, or _Furor_ is the only spell that applies.

"Did...you hear anything…before you went mad?"

Takumashii shrugged and said, "No."

Wizard chose to end this investigation here; his weary mind could take no more. So he stared at the she-ghost intently. She fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I already said I was sorry," she muttered.

Chuckling, Wizard looked at the stars. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to take a guess. Now if his tired mind could conjure up a word…Perfect.

"…Tamah…"

"Huh?" replied the bear and the ghost.

"Didn't you…ask me for…a name?" Wizard asked.

"Well, yes, but I thought –"

"After all this…trouble…you…deserve it…"

His eyes closed of their own accord.

"Wizard!"

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><p><strong>Takumashii: Japanese for strong, dependable, or burly<strong>

**Tamah: Hebrew for naive, innocent, or honest**

**Did you like this? Any comments? Tell me and Review, please! 3**


	4. Friendship is Built on Risks

**I forgot to mention the definition of the spells in the last chapter! Sorry!**

_**Libero**_**: Latin for ****free**

_**Insania**_**: Latin for insanity**

_**Dementia**_**:**** Latin for madness**

_**Furor**_**: Latin for rage, fury, or frenzy**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Friendship is Built on Risks<strong>

Wizard awoke in his makeshift bed, back at the house. His head was pounding and his throat was dry, but his energy was halfway back to normal. Groaning, he stood up. The floor was strangely warm, but a glance out the window told him sunset was hours away. He smelled smoke.

Heart racing, Wizard flew down the stairs and ran to the living room. A cheery fire in the stone fireplace greeted him with its warmth, crackling away. Hunched before the flames was Takumashii, his head moving from side to side. Wizard cleared his throat and the bear turned to him, honey eyes full of mirth.

"Well, good mornin' sleepyhead," Takumashii greeted. "Had a nice nap?"

"Hardly… a nap," Wizard replied. "Where is Tamah?"

Takumashii pointed to the dine-in kitchen. Wizard peeked in and saw the she-ghost humming as she sat on the windowsill. She was swinging her legs back and forth again. Her eyes snapped towards him when he came into full view and a smile lit up her features.

"Wizard!" she squealed. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine…How do you…like your name?"

"I love it! Thank you!"

A smile tugged at his lips and chuckles bubbled up his throat. She was truly so childish, it was almost endearing. He listened as she began rambling on about how Takumashii had brought him back and how she'd been able to help carry the berries and other edibles they'd harvested. How she did that? Who knows. He certainly didn't.

Suddenly, Takumashii's madness invaded his mind. The large bear had said he'd never heard anything, just felt an abrupt shift from tranquility to rage. And most importantly, he could not fight it back. _Insania, Dementia, Furor._ Those three were the dark spells that fit the description, but from the severity of the rage, he'd bet on _Furor_. This black magic spell was notorious for the blinding fury it caused the victim. _Insania _and _Dementia_ were lower level versions of _Furor_ and lacked the power it has over the mind.

_Furor_ has one very important requirement in order to be cast: the performer _must_ remain within a half a mile radius of the victim; the closer, the better. Too far, and the spell would lose its effect. If he visited the clearing again, he might be able to pick up the trail of the attacker. However, his magic levels were still too low for a full blown hunt, and with his limited timeframe of a day, he'd most probably lose the trail. How frustrating, Wizard thought.

He was fished out of his musings when a chipped plate flooded with an assortment of fruits, nuts, and berries was placed before him. Takumashii encouraged him to eat while Tamah gave him another bright grin. Swallowing a bite of apple, he mulled over the thought of summoning a cup of coffee from his home back in town. The glass of cold river water was fine, but what he really needed was a good, strong shot of caffeine.

He missed his home.

Takumashii had left by sunset the same day. The bear claimed he had a lot of apologies to make, and that it'd be best if he started now. Wizard sat on the back porch with Tamah, watching him lumber away. The she-ghost had a sad look on her face.

"What's…wrong?"

"He won't be back for a while," she mumbled. "He always disappears for days after he leaves."

"But…he always returns…doesn't he?"

With a small smile, she said, "I guess. I just worry that he'll go ballistic again."

"He won't."

"How are you so sure?"

"I'm…a wizard…remember?"

"Right," she giggled. "Magic is you thing."

Wizard nodded and gazed up at the first stars of the night. How he loved those distant dots of light. They were the only company he had after his Master decided it was time to move on. They were always there.

"Do you have any friends like him, Wizard?"

"I…do not have…many friends," he answered. "Those that I have…barely come to see me."

"Oh."

It was true. Vivi and he rarely got along. His Master was gone. The few townspeople he'd gotten along with once only visit him for fortunes now. Some even feared him and didn't even visit at all. He'd been alone for a few centuries by now.

"Can I be your friend?"

"Aren't you already…my friend?"

Darn her ear-grating squeals and ice-cold hugs.

"I promise I'll always come see you," she whispered, "no matter where you are."

"A promise like that…is a dangerous risk."

"I'm more than willing to risk it."

"You may…become bound to me…because of my magic."

"I don't care."

"Are you…sure?"

"Will you stop doubting me?"

Wizard chuckled, "I'll try."

"Hey!"

Perhaps, this may not be so bad…Perhaps, one person – _ghost_, he chided – will be able to keep a promise for one. Just maybe. It would be nice to have a confidant, Goddess knows he needs one. He continued to gaze at the constellations with Tamah until his eyelids felt heavy and sleep forced him to trudge up the stairs and into his bed for rest. He had a lot of work ahead of him tomorrow. Those trail remnants weren't going to be easy to track down. Then again, when _were_ things easy for him?

Good question.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the shortness, I just didn't feel right to stretch this chapter any further. ^_^U Review please! 3<strong>


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